Hours reduced at six Manitoba border crossings

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This article was published 15/04/2020 (2300 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The federal government is temporarily reducing hours at six Manitoba-U.S. border crossings because of COVID-19.

The Canada Border Services Agency said on Wednesday that ports of entry at Coulter, Goodlands, Gretna, Lena, Windygates and Winkler would close as much as six hours earlier than normal. Traffic has dropped due to restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

No change is planned for the 24-hour port of entry at Emerson.

Twenty-one other ports of entry across the country will have hours of operation reduced.

“The (federal) government continues to introduce border measures to limit the spread of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Canada. All non-essential travel into Canada continues to be prohibited. These changes should not affect commercial traffic,” the agency said.

A provincial Justice department spokesman said “it is important for the federal government to ensure that essential persons and trade traffic continue to cross the border.

“While the CBSA is in charge of their own operations, we trust that any adjustments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic will be made in the best interest of public health.”

The ports of entry at Coulter and Lena will close at 4 p.m., instead of 9 p.m.; Goodlands and Windygates will close at 5 p.m., instead of 10 p.m.; Gretna at 4 p.m., instead of 10 p.m.; and Winkler at 6 p.m., instead of 10 p.m.

The reductions in hours take effect April 15 at 11:59 p.m. The agency said the changes will be reviewed as the pandemic continues.

The agency said it continues to ensure goods and services can cross the border so the country’s economic supply chains and trade stay open.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca